Wheel



,Inl/fenmf /f ff" y Ha/'ne llg- 27, 1940- E. G. B. DE MANGHI WHEEL Filed Dec. e, l1938 Patented ug. 27, 1940 PATENT OFFICE WHEEL Elda Graciana Bergolli De Manghi, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application Decembere, issafserial'No. 244,300 a Claims.

This invention relates to a device adapted Vfor d removably coupling the roadwheels to the axles `of automotive vehicles in general, and particularly' to a device of this type which provides a combination of elements so arranged that a simple turn of a common Wrench will cause the instantaneous coupling or uncoupling of the wheels.

The device of thepresentinvention is vbased on a; simple arrangement `of elements which may be adapted to the wheels ofany of the numerous existing types of Vehicles.

The device `comprises mainly a plurality of radial latching elements connected pivotally between stop discs arranged parallel to each other and vcentrally screw-connected to check elements. One of said check elements vconstitutes the'means for` setting thelatching elements in operating position. The latching elementsA arel constituted by suitably shaped irregularly curved plates, having the ends thereof, opposite to those connected between the stop discs,`forkshaped. '41A further feature of this inventiony resides in that the latching elements are provided, towards the end thereof adjacent tor that connected between the stop discs, withL a detent member in latching position. Said .detent members are constituted by a ball having a diameter larger than the thickness Vof the plates constituting the latching elements, so as to project from both faces of said plates and t in sockets formed in the opposed faces of the stop discs,:sa`id` balls constituting, in conjunction with the sockets, means for neutralizing the effects yof the inertia produced when startingY tlievehiclel backwards or upon braking same, said movementsl affecting the coupling device witha torque in Ya direction opposite to the rotary motion by whichv the latching is established, which would result in the latching elements becoming loose from the points of connection, `with the 'corresponding sudden uncoupling of the wheels.` The connecting or tting points for the latching elements are constituted by bolt `heads projecting normally to the axle flange, said bolt heads being provided with an annular groove or throat in which are forced both branches of the fork-like end 'of the latching elements.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practice, it has been illustrated by way of example and in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

l Figure l is aA plan viewlof the assembly constituting the lcoupling device.

Figure 2 isa-'cross sectional `View taken on the llineA-A of Figure 1.

' Figure 3` is a plan detailed viewfof'th'e stop f discs, one of each is shown broken away.

, Figure 5 is a sectional view of thestop discs showing the manner in which they are connected to each other. Y

Figure 5 Ais a side sectional view of one of the latchingelements with its corresponding checkxii:

alignment between the stop discs' 2-3 located on both sides' of the elements I and centrally connected to yeach other by means of a group of check elements. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said check elements `are constituted by an outer nut 4 which engages the inner face of the disc 3 by means of a flange 5, and'projecting to the outer face of the disc 2,`frorn whereit extends inan outwardlyy threaded extension 5 on which a check nut 'l is. screwed, with the interpolation of a suitable split washer 3. Said split washer has one of its split ends slightly raised vand constitutes a, resilient element for thepurpose which will be described hereinafter.

The check-nut vlfis held on the extension li by means of a bushing Sscrewed in the central socket l!) of the nut 4 and associated extension 6, the upper end of the bushing being provided c with aange llwhich' presses the head of the check-.nut 1, thus eliminating any possibility of the latter becoming loose from the extension 6.

The bushing 9 has a hole 1l2 of cuadrangular or hexagonal section, in order to enable the adjustment thereof to the nut 4 by means of an ordinary tubular wrench.

The connection of the elements l 'between the stop discs 2 3 is eifected by means of members comprising an enlarged annular portion I3 and two pins vlll, Ma coaxially projecting from both faces of portion I3, the coupling of said pins to the stop discs being effected by simple insertion 3, the portion I3 of said members forming the rotation point of the elements I, which are freely mounted thereon.

The end of each element I adjacent to the pivoted `end is provided with a perforation I 6 for the purpose of freely receiving a ball I'I, the diameterof which is larger thanthe thickness of said elements, so that said ball II projects equidistantlyv from both faces of the elements in order to fit in aligned sockets I8, IIlw and I9, Idal provided at different angles in the discs 2,3. The pair of sockets I8, I8a serves to retain the balls I'I in the plates I in operative latching position, while the pair I9, ISa serves to'keep the plates in unlatched inoperative position' with4 re-4 spect to the bolts of the axle ange.

The ends 20 of the plates I, opposite to the ends connected to the discs2, 3 are fork-shaped.:

AThe branches 2| of said forks 20 have suitably tapered ends 22, and this arrangement is adapted tovforcer the branches 2| in the respective grooves or throats of the check bolts projecting from Vthe .axle flange, in the manner which will be described hereinafter.` Y

n yflfheY coupling of the vehicle wheels is carried out ,as follows, in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 6: The wheel flange is first coupled to the hub flange 23 of the vehicle axle which, as showninFigure 6 is provided Witha plurality of fixed bolts 24k suitably distributed to- Wards the outer edge thereof. The entire contour of the stems of said bolts is coaxially grooved lso as to be secured better to the flange, and the heads 25 of the bolts are provided with an annulargroove 2E constituting a throat for receiving the fork-shaped ends of the elements I arranged in line with said heads, said bolts being xed to the flange-23 by means of individual check-nuts 128 screwed to the threaded ends 21 of said bolts. Once the hub 29 of the tire 30 has ben coupled tothe `iiange 23 of the axle 3I, by inserting said hub 29 on the heads 25 of the bolts 24, the above described device isapplied to the central portion of,y vthe hub, withthe elements I virtually folded against the periphery of the discs 2, 3, Figure-1, `in which` position the forked ends 20 face the grooves 26 of theheads 25 in alignment, and by engaging the check-nut I with an ordinary Wrench,l said check-nut establishes an adjustment by means of the nut 4, rotating the latter together with the discs 2,5 in the direction indicated by the arrow F, whilethe elements I upon the branches 2l thereof engaging the grooves 26, are angularly displaced in the direction indicated by the arrows Fa. in Figure l, forcibly fitting in the. grooves 26, said -forcedfitting being caused Y by the tapered ends 22 of the branches 2 Iwhich To uncouple the Wheel, it will be sufficient to cause the rotation of the discs 2, 3, by turning the nut 1 in the opposite direction to that just described, thereby causing the angular displacement of theelements I, against the periphery of said discs 2, 3, the balls I1 passing to the sockets I9, ISa, thereby displacing said balls which is facilitated by the resiliency of the element 8; the elementV 8 yields under the pressure exerted by the disc 2, lallowing the displacement ythereof and consequently the'free displacement of the ball from one group of sockets to the other, and when the elements I are turned against the periphery of the elements 2, 3, the Wheel is free and ready to be removed for repair or replacement.

From the above, it will be seen that a simple and efficient device has been provided, which Vrequires no further explanation to those skilled in the art.

While I have described a particular embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it is clear that other modifications may Ibe made Without departing from the scope of the invention as clearly setforth inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is; e l. A device for coupling wheels to axles comprising a hub ange, a series of bolts mounted on said flange having grooves therein, a Wheel flange having apertures therein through which said bolts are adapted to project, spaced discs, latching elements pivotally connected to said discs and located between said discs, said latching elements at their free ends being forked to cooperate with said grooves and detent means cooperating with said latching elements for holding Ysaid elements in latched and unlatched position.

2. A device for coupling Wheels to axles comprising a hub flange, aA series of bolts mounted on said flange having grooves therein, a Wheel flange having apertures therein through which said bolts are adapted to project, spaced discs having aligned openings therein, shafts located in said openings and latching elements pivoted on said shafts cooperating with said grooves to lock said wheel flange to said hub" flange.

`3. A device for coupling wheels to axles comprising a hub flangeya series of bolts mounted on saidiiange having grooves therein, a Wheel flange having apertures therein through which said 4bolts are adapted to project, spaced discs, a plurality of latching `elements pivotally mounted between s'aid discs to cooperate with said grooves, a nut interconnecting said discs so as to rotate said discs', a jam nut cooperating with said nut and a bushing cooperating With said jam nut.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which resilient means are interposed between said nut and jam nut;

5. A device as set forthiinclaim 1 in which said detent means comprises a ball carried by each latching element and said discs are provided with recesses'cooperating with the balls of the latching elements.

VELDA GRACIANA BERGOLLI DE MANGHI. 

